A+ A A-

EU: who's afraid of democracy?‏

Don't allow the European Parliament to take away our rights as citizens. And yes, it's a petition and it concerns you too!

 

Right now behind closed doors, European officials are deciding the fate of a ground-breaking democratic reform that could change EU politics, up to now dominated by an elite of governments, powerful companies and lobbyists.   

The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) requires the EU commission to act when it receives a request from over 1 million citizens. It's a radical innovation in EU governance, but it has some officials scared. They're trying to bury the ECI in a mountain of red tape - throwing up damaging barriers to citizens' participation. 

Several members of the European Parliament are passionately fighting to protect the ECI. We urgently need massive citizen outcry to weigh in on their side and shame the blocking governments and officials into creating the direct democracy that citizens want. Sign the petition below -- MEP Gerald Häfner, who is at the forefront of the negotiations, will present our petition in every Brussels back room meeting where it can make a difference:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_citizens_initiative/?vl

For decades the European Union has been accused of suffering from overly complex, undemocratic decision-making processes that make EU politics inaccessible to citizens. But now, the ECI, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty last year, could be a real turning point in efforts to address the EU's democratic deficit -- allowing one million citizens to submit legislative proposals to European Commission and formally requiring the EC to consider them. 

Some member states, who fear greater citizen participation in the legislative process, are insisting that each ECI signer should provide the number of their ID card or passport number - a requirement that would radically decrease participation. Independent data protection bodies in Europe say ID numbers are not necessary for verifying signers -- in fact gathering this data is intrusive and can lead to identity fraud.

The European Commission has also proposed a short timeline and unnecessary country quotas for signatures that would de facto exclude many citizens’ groups from using the ECI. The Parliament has countered these with citizen friendly requirements -- a 18-month deadline for signature collection, and country quotas in just one fifth of all EU Member States.

Avaaz is already using the ECI to improve European democracy -- we've gathered over 1 million signers and are submitting the first ever ECI to freeze all genetically modified crops from entering Europe. But this and every other future initiative we build could be crippled if the officials manage to railroad through their stringent conditions. 

Negotiations are at the critical last phase -- let's make the ECI work, and make European governance work for us. Sign the petition now, and forward this message to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_citizens_initiative/?vl

http://www.avaaz.org/en/about.php

SOURCES:

European Voice, "MEPs look to make it easier to launch citizens' initiatives":
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/meps-look-to-make-it-easier-to-launch-citizens-initiatives/69310.aspx

Initiative for the ECI, "Parliament can still prevent member states weakening ECI":
http://www.citizens-initiative.eu/?p=374

More information about the "Campaign for a citizen-friendly European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI)":
http://www.citizens-initiative.eu

Democracy International promotes direct democracy, and is the umbrella organisation sponsoring the ECI-Campaign:
www.democracy-international.org

{module Facebook FanBox for articles} 

More News

Prev Next

Hits:14882

Two meetings, one voice

Two meeting…

You had to be there. North and south of the boro...

Read more

Hits:40043

New Site

New Site

We're back ;)   Read more: New Site...

Read more

Hits:15889

Corbyn Won Kensington Nomination

Corbyn Won …

On July 21st Jeremy Corbyn overwhelmingly won th...

Read more

Hits:15511

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off to…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:19783

Portobello community stands up against plans to turn iconic area into bland shopping centre

Portobello

Hundreds of protestors, including children and p...

Read more

Hits:16984

Leon Löwentraut at the The Muse Gallery

Leon Löwent…

Never too early to become a full fledged artist ...

Read more

More News 2

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Prev Next

Hits:18350

Greferendum: an anthology

Greferendum…

Thinking of Greece. ...

Read more

Hits:15128

Pink Cigar video release

Pink Cigar …

 Local down’n’dirty rock’n’roll outfit Pink Ciga...

Read more

Hits:21565

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular

Gaz’s Rocki…

Gaz’s Rockin Blues 35th Anniversary Spectacular ...

Read more

Hits:16145

Interactive Video Art at The Dissenters Gallery Catacombs

Interactive…

On Saturday 4 July, 11-5pm, a chance to see the ...

Read more

Hits:16945

"Exposed" a Solo Show by Louis-Nicholas Darbon

"Expos…

 Coming up Thursday- June 4th -  at the Graffik ...

Read more

Hits:16227

Mock The Opera Protest @ Holland Park

Mock The Op…

A protest is taking place tomorrow at the Hollan...

Read more

Hits:16731

Where next for Labour?

Where next …

 Labour’s defeat in the UK general election on M...

Read more

Hits:16581

Artists For Nepal – local benefit gig for Nepal

Artists For…

 Thursday May 21st at the Elgin with music, film...

Read more

Hits:16158

RED ALERT by Maximilian Wiedemann

RED ALERT b…

West Bank last exhibition at the current buildin...

Read more

LOCAL

Prev Next

Hits:14882

Two meetings, one voice

Two meeting…

You had to be there. North and south of the boro...

Read more

Hits:15889

Corbyn Won Kensington Nomination

Corbyn Won …

On July 21st Jeremy Corbyn overwhelmingly won th...

Read more

Hits:19783

Portobello community stands up against plans to turn iconic area into bland shopping centre

Portobello …

Hundreds of protestors, including children and p...

Read more

Hits:16227

Mock The Opera Protest @ Holland Park

Mock The Op…

A protest is taking place tomorrow at the Hollan...

Read more

Hits:15640

Here's my proposal. What’s yours?

Here's my p…

  Local resident Tristan Hazell has plans for t...

Read more

Hits:14970

Cheer up! A new and more expensive supermarket opened up on the Portobello Rd

Cheer up! A…

Same, same, same...  ...

Read more

Hits:17704

Westway Trust releases statement of intent on the Portobello Village proposal

Westway Tru…

Following the strength of feeling against the cu...

Read more

Hits:22318

Westway Trust (WT) unveils Portobello Village

Westway Tru…

The debate has started over the redevelopment of...

Read more

Hits:15671

Sir Malcolm in the Middle

Sir Malcolm…

 Kensington MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind has been susp...

Read more

Hits:16776

'SHAMBOLIC' -  RBKC confuses 'want' with 'need'

'SHAMBOLIC…

Following our short article by Tristan Hazel on ...

Read more

PEOPLE & PLACES

Prev Next

Hits:20190

Ostuni Queen's Park by M. Kuehn

Ostuni Que…

Having recently savoured the delights of the ver...

Read more

Hits:15511

Hats-off to Micky P: Portobello Live 3rd/4th May

Hats-off t…

Reflecting on the Portobello Live Festival - by ...

Read more

Hits:17261

Canal Deli food review

Canal Deli…

Canal deli - lovely people - scrumptious food or...

Read more

Hits:17914

Why hipster incursions into the KPH might not be a bad thing.

Why hipste…

I visited the KPH on Ladbroke Grove last evening...

Read more

Hits:16463

Source Mag Christmas treats IV

Source Mag…

Fine Bone China Tableware Upcycled Vintage Ceram...

Read more

Hits:15412

Source Mag Christmas treats III

Source Mag…

One of the kind hats, flowers, decorative hand c...

Read more

Hits:14786

Source Mag Christmas treats II

Source Mag…

Have you ever thought of offering a family docum...

Read more

Hits:14766

Source Mag Christmas treats I

Source Mag…

Coalition Colouring Book by Tom Pride. ...

Read more

Hits:15044

Want to get involved with online radio?

Want to ge…

K2K Radio wants to hear from you! ...

Read more

Hits:17284

Reflection on breaking barricades

Reflection…

From protesting with Anonymous to connecting wit...

Read more

Local Events Calendar

<<  <  September 2025  >  >>
 Mo  Tu  We  Th  Fr  Sa  Su 
  1  2  3  4  5  6  7
  8  91011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     

Upcoming Events

Fb

writers pic2

We're looking for writers! Join in! (scroll down the article)

Rants

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7

I don't do …

I don't do rants. But,

...it's a rant! ...

Read more

Last Night …

Last Night I Dreamt...

"I could see the body of Kim Kardashian..." ...

Read more

Portobello …

Portobello drinkers 'harassed' by children

  From our sports correspondent Dave 'the ...

Read more

Everyone’s …

Everyone’s a F*****g DJ

by Kensal Scream  At long last! Another salvo f...

Read more

Lap dogs …

Lap dogs & devil dogs - the final solution

By Kensal Scream Time for another rant by the K...

Read more

Trains and …

Trains and  lycra pants

 By Kensal Scream That Really Grinds my Gears i...

Read more

An e-mail f…

An e-mail from Billy Connolly?

We can not be sure that  it’s his but it co...

Read more

Your Experience

review and preview

Login or Sign Up